The Creator Praises BirdsA poem by J.S. Absher

Vent and crissum,lores and crest and comb: Imade them all—thenares, nape, thosehorny bill plates—I infeathered trocheesmade them: peacock,sparrow, tufted titmouse,flitting jennyfilled with joy ofbeaking worm, of strut andglide, of pipingdouble on theirsyrinx. Praise how flock andmurmurationcall out warning,call to fly or roost orcall for pleasure:See me! Hear me!Pur-ty! Pur-ty! Pur-ty!Cheer up! Pibbity!

Praise the brave-hearttender fledgling, wobblywinging overhouses, overpavement, risking all toclimb the air bybeating wind Itoo created, risingheavenward in joy.

This poem won first place in the 2018 Clinton F. Larson Poetry Contest sponsored by BYU Studies.